


Epilogue

by sinshine



Series: Salt Water [4]
Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-22
Updated: 2018-11-22
Packaged: 2019-08-27 16:39:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16706077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinshine/pseuds/sinshine
Summary: “I don’t appreciate sassback from a youth.”Kaneki grinned and sat up properly in the chair, uncurling his legs and dropping the paperback onto the floor. He reached for Hide’s hand and gently pulled him closer. “How about you come over here and I’ll give you something to appreciate?”“Is that a threat?” Hide lowered himself onto Kaneki’s lap.“Yes.”





	Epilogue

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt from tumblr anon: "What about a tiny snippet sequel of salt water. Very domestic and sexy ;)"

It was an hour past closing time and there was still no sign of Kaneki. So, after Hide finished cleaning up the cafe for the night, he stuck his head into the bookstore portion of their shop and called out to him.

“Ken?”

There was no response, but Hide wasn’t particularly surprised. He closed the partition that lead to the cafe and headed towards the stockroom, looking into the aisles as he passed by. Kaneki wasn’t in the stock room, nor was he in any of the reading nooks, and Hide sighed when he realized that his husband was probably on the second floor.

“Ken?” Hide called up the narrow staircase.

Silence.

“Don’t make me come up there!” This wasn’t so much a threat as it was a plea. Hide had injured his knee in a sporting accident almost ten years ago but the old wound had been bothering him recently. (The sport was drunken parkour with Ayato, but he tended to exclude that detail in the retelling.) Hide ascended the stairs slowly, keeping one hand on the railing.

He found Kaneki comfortably tucked away in a reading nook near the back. He was curled in a wingback chair that he was currently sharing with the cats, staring at a book that he held too close to his face. Boruto was perched on the back of the chair, but Cat was an aggressive cuddler and insisted on being on Kaneki’s lap even though it didn’t seem that comfortable.

“Excuse me, young man.” Hide tapped a knuckle on the spine of Kaneki’s book. “We’re closed for the night. I’m afraid you’ll have to get your kicks elsewhere.”

“Kicks?” Kaneki lowered the book and raised an eyebrow at Hide’s word choice. His braid was starting to come undone and locks of long, white hair framed his face. “I don’t think anyone still says that.”

Hide harrumphed and put his hands on his hips. “I don’t appreciate sassback from a youth.”

Kaneki grinned and sat up properly in the chair, uncurling his legs and dropping the paperback onto the floor. Cat, sensing that tomfoolery was imminent, made himself scarce. Kaneki reached for Hide’s hand and gently pulled him closer. “How about you come over here and I’ll give you something to appreciate?”

“Is that a threat?” Hide lowered himself onto Kaneki’s lap.

“Yes.”

They shared a series of slow, lingering kisses. Hide hummed as he tangled his hands in Kaneki’s hair, pulling apart the last of the braid, and Kaneki felt his mouth curl into a smile. Emboldened, Kaneki slipped his hands underneath the back of Hide’s shirt and kissed his neck. Hide didn’t gasp audibly, but Kaneki felt the way his breath stuttered in his chest.

“Hey,” Hide sounded a little breathy, “We could do this somewhere more comfortable. Like in our house. In our bed.”

“Hmm.” Kaneki was pleased to know that his touch would always yield such a palpable reaction from Hide. He dragged his nails down Hide’s back, enjoying the way that his back arched as he did so, before removing his hands from under Hide’s shirt. “Okay.”

Cat had already disappeared, but Hide gave Boruto a scritch and then they headed towards the stairs. Kaneki noticed the dubious way that Hide regarded the staircase and moved in front of him. “Put your hand on my shoulder. I wish you would get that knee looked at.”

“Why? I already know what’s wrong with it.” Hide let Kaneki guide him carefully down the stairs.

“General Dumbassery doesn’t count as a diagnosis.”

Hide let out a bark of laughter and they almost stumbled.

They made sure that neither of the cats were underfoot before they opened the front door and let themselves out. Hide was locking up when he felt Kaneki’s hands in his hair.

“What is it about books that makes you so horny-- _Ow!_ ” Hide slapped a hand over the back of his head and spun to face Kaneki.

Kaneki held out a strand of Hide’s own hair to him. Hide took it and held it up to the moonlight. It was silver.

“Shit. I guess we’re officially old.” Hide frowned and flicked the hair at Kaneki’s face. “You didn’t have to pull it out.”

“I didn’t plan on it. But your joke was so bad that I felt something had to be done.” Kaneki shrugged. Then he laughed as Hide growled and trapped him in a bear hug, pinning his arms to his side and nuzzling his face in Kaneki’s hair.

They began the walk home, holding hands with fingers intertwined.


End file.
